Sheet 05 · Head to head
MK2 vs MK7R
7 of the 8 figures in the comparison table differ. The MK2 is from the classic line (1972 to 2010), the MK7R from the revival (2016 on).
MK2
Quartz lock and the pitch slider, then 31 years with barely a change. The one hip-hop and house were built on.
1979–2010
MK7R
An MK7 in Red Bull BC One colors, with a gold tonearm and red headshell.
2020
05.1Where they differ
- Years
- 1979–2010
- 2020
- Motor
- Quartz-locked DC direct drive
- Coreless direct drive
- Starting torque
- 1.5 kg·cm
- 1.8 kg·cm
- Pitch
- ±8% slider
- Digital ±8% / ±16%
- Speeds
- 33⅓ / 45
- 33⅓ / 45 / 78
- Weight
- 12.5 kg
- 9.6 kg
- At launch
- $299 (1979)
- MK7 + premium
05.2Identical on both
- Wow & flutter
- 0.025% WRMS
05.3What each one changed
MK2
vs MK1: quartz lock, rotary pitch → ±8% slider, electronic braking with symmetric response, better isolation.
Used market: US askings (Aug 2026): singles $700–1,200 in Good, $900–1,650 in Excellent; LA local listings cluster $800–850; working pairs $1,200–1,600
Full model sheet →MK7R
vs MK7: BC One livery only.
Used market: Trades above a standard MK7 on collectibility
Full model sheet →Figures from the same sources as each model sheet. A dash means the figure is not published in our sources; we do not invent specs.[1] Technics operating instructions[2] Wikipedia[3] Stereophile[4] audio-database